Darjeeling Avongrove First Flush 2025

Darjeeling Avongrove

Spring harvest from the famous Avongrove Garden in Darjeeling, India. Light in colour, slightly oxidised, regularly rolled leaves with a pleasant sweet floral aroma. Tea has a golden infusion of delicate, beautifully balanced floral sweetness with notes of ripe fruit dominated by peach and mandarin and a long sweet floral finish.

How to prepare Darjeeling Avongrove

Use 5 grams of tea leaves for 0.5 litre of boiling water cooled to 85-90 °C, steep for 2–3 minutes. Feel free to experiment with steeping time, water temperature, and the amount of tea leaves. You can also read our articles on tea preparation and water quality.

Avongrove Tea Estate

Avongrove Tea Garden is located in the Rangbhang Valley on the banks of the Balasun River at an altitude of 670 m and extends up to 1,700 m. Located in the Darjeeling region at the foothills of the Himalayas, this prestigious plantation is spread over two forested slopes, with carefully tended tea bushes on the ridges and dense forest filling the valley. The garden offers spectacular views of the Balasun River, which meanders through the valley below. Avongrove means "Bird's Nest" in the local language.

Harvesting takes place in teams of fifteen pickers, who work in different parts of the garden with the utmost care to select only the ideal size leaves. The leaves are then handled very gently to prevent damage. The processing is carried out under the supervision of experienced masters who constantly check the quality and taste of the tea. Every step of the production process - from withering, to fine rolling, oxidation and final drying - is precisely adapted to the season and the current conditions, so that the resulting tea offers a rich and harmonious taste.
In the First Flush period, which begins in early February and continues into March, the tea has a fresh, light flavour with a bright aroma. The Second Flush brings a delicate golden infusion with a smooth and full flavour - typical of the best Avongrove has to offer.

Approximately five hundred workers and their families live in the garden, in small houses surrounded by orange trees and flowers. The tranquil setting, unspoilt nature and absence of chemicals make Avongrove a fully organic garden that is also a welcome haven for a number of bird species. For visitors, as well as for lovers of fine tea, a cup of Avongrove enjoyed at the top of the hill in the misty twilight is an unforgettable experience.